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From playing outdoors to cooling off indoors, these great ideas for twosomes help you break out of the dinner-and-movie rut.
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By Caitlin Ascolese
 ife post-Memorial Day isn’t just great because of vacation-house shares and the freedom to wear white at will. “Summer is the best time to date, because all that sunshine lifts your mood,” says Katherin Scott, a dating coach (www.makinglovework4u.com) in Snoqualmie, WA. So it makes sense that taking advantage of the weather will be more satisfying than sticking to your year-round romance routine of coffee dates, movies during which you don’t talk to each other and repeat restaurant outings. “Being in a new environment helps you focus on the person you’re with, instead of going on date autopilot,” says Scott. That’s precisely why we’ve cultivated this list of ten superfun, superromantic ideas from couples’ experts around the country. Read on, and we probably won’t be hearing from you again until after Labor Day.
1. Be a social climber
After a few good dates with a new person, it might be time to take the next step with him |  | | People open up more when they don’t have to make eye contact. |
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or her. And by “next step” we mean the “next several thousand steps — up a trail.” Hikes are great, notes Connie Magee, coowner of Outdoor Bound (www.outdoorbound.com), a New York area excursion operator that leads singles trips, “because you don’t need any special skills: You just show up with your lunch. Compared to sitting at a restaurant, moving around and surveying the environment dissipates tension and gives you way more to talk about.”
Plus, there’s a romance perk: Studies have shown that people feel more comfortable opening up when they’re not making constant eye contact, so any date that has you side-by-side instead of staring across a table at each other will pump up your communication.
2. Date with strings attached
There’s an inexpensive way to find out if your date has a sense of humor, a patient nature, a hair-trigger temper, a crazy competitive streak, or a genuine love of fun. Sounds great, right? Here’s the deal: Scott swears by the dollar kites you can get at any grocery or toy store. “Find a park or a beach on a day with wind and let loose,” she says. “It’s so fun seeing how people react to their success (or lack thereof) with a kite, and if it gets caught in a tree, who cares?!”
3. Live out a legend
If you’ve ever read online personals, you know there are piles of people who swear their hobbies include “walks along the beach” — but how many of them actually do that?! Well, now’s a good time to live out the cliché in all its glory! Suggest a stroll along the sea — or lake, or riverbed or whatever body of water is near you. “This activity feels really personal and sends the message that you want to get to know your date with no distractions,” says Rorri Green, relationship consultant and former president of Get the Girl in Chicago. “And since the water is calming, you lose a lot of those date jitters and inhibitions.”
4. Give a dog a… bath?!
Proud parents of canine-Americans know how badly their pets need a bath after a long day of playing in the woods. (Or just to help get rid of that summer shed.) If you’re seeing a fellow dog-lover, work that extra step into your date by finding a business where you can wash your (or your date’s) dog yourself or heading home for the task.
“Bathing a dog together is a great way to get to know someone and break the touch barrier while still being totally casual,” says Sheryl Matthys, cofounder of Leashes and Lovers (www.leashesandlovers.com), which offers singles events for dog | | | “Bathing a dog together is a great way to break the touch barrier.” | |
owners in New York City. “You’re both getting wet and having fun, and people naturally let their guards down when they’re dealing with animals.” Plus, c’mon, nothing’s sexier than seeing someone summon his or her parenting instincts to benefit your beloved pup.
5. Get jazzed about each other
Lawn concerts are a summer staple, and hitting one with your date is the perfect chance to set off some sparks. “Choose some relaxing music like jazz or classical,” says Green, who cites several pluses to this endeavor. “There’s great energy, you’re sitting closer than you would if you just had dinner together, and since it’s at night, everyone looks better.” The music gives you your own personal soundtrack as you two talk quietly about everything imaginable — and it offers a pleasant distraction when the conversation naturally lulls. Check your local paper’s entertainment listings for details on a show that could make your next date magic.
6. Have cocktails for two
Summer is prime time for fun, fruity cocktails, and one of the hottest drink trends right is wine cocktails. “A light wine brings a great acidity and sweetness which you can then balance out with other flavors,” says Drew Levinson, master mixologist at Las Vegas’ five-diamond Bellagio (www.bellagio.com). And it’s easy to make one of these drinks at home whether you’re cooking dinner or just entertaining before you step out.
Not sure where to start? Levinson recommends one of these simple mixes: a sparkling wine like Champagne or Prosecco with a sweet fruit puree (or two!) like strawberry, mango or passionfruit; a Riesling with amaretto and sour mix; or a port wine made sangria-style with rum and dark seasonal fruits like cherries, blackberries or raspberries. So whip up your own signature cocktail and serve it in a flute. Very impressive!
7. Float away together
If you ever thought the idea of taking a hot-air balloon ride together was corny, consider this: “When you get that kind of scared feeling of being up so high, it’s similar to the sexual tension when you’re attracted to someone,” says Scott. “It’s one of the best suggestions for a couple in their first three dates, because it can really nudge along the attraction.” Convinced? We thought so. Just do a web search for your hometown plus “hot-air balloon rides” to find a floater near you.
8. Fall in love rapidly
From lolling along on a placid river to braving class V whitewater, hitting the wet stuff together is a great way to peek into your date’s personality. “Whitewater rafting requires teamwork and communication and can be a little bit stressful,” says Magee. “You not only bond, but you learn a lot about a person.” For a super-ambient twist, join a group that’s going for post-sunset rafting under the moonlight.
9. Just bag it
One of the cutest ways to make any outing (from a zoo visit to a day trip) sweeter is by bringing along a picnic. So toss your homemade specialty and some pieces of fruit in your cooler or stop by your favorite spot for a few sandwiches to go. “It’s a great way to give the guy a break from always paying for meals out,” says Scott. “It also lets the woman do the nurturing thing for your date, which is both enjoyable for you and endearing to the person you’re serving.”
10. Get in the driver’s seat
Sure, you’ve heard about that cool sushi/Moroccan/eat-with-your-hands joint a few towns over, but are you ever actually in the area? Solution: Head there with a person you dig for a guaranteed memorable date. “Rent a convertible and drive to a restaurant that’s 50 miles away,” says Green. It costs about the same as a really nice dinner but like the ads say: Feeling the wind in your hair, sharing the fun of a mini-road trip, and tasting the adventure of city-hopping “just because”? Priceless.
Caitlin Ascolese is a freelance writer in New York City.
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How would you feel about your date using a Groupon (or some other discount deal) to pay for your date? |
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14% |
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Mortified that the other person seems so cheap |
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35% |
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I really don’t care one way or the other |
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52% |
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Totally support it… after all, dating is expensive! |
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